Pipe wrench



June 7, `1932. A.; '0. BRUNGARDT l,862,002

- PIPE WRENCH original Filed June 14, 19:50 2 sheets-sheet 1 Jn verb ogi- 2 www. /myabf layhwwglcawwm June 7, 1932. i A. o. BRuNGA'RD-r' 15861002 PIPE WRENCH Original Filed June 14. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 7, 1932ip PATENT ori-ica l ALPHONSE o.l nauneanm, or naooxLINn, uassacnnsarrs l :jira waENcn continuation ai appliaatian sariai No. 461,062, man Jane.. 14, use. 'rma application and Karan io, i

1932. Serial No. 598, 083. n

This invention relates to wrenches and more articularly to forgedsteel wrenches of the tillson type and is a continuation of my copending application, Serial #461,062, 5 filed June 14, 1930. l

An object of the invention is to provide a forged wrench of exceptional strength and durability having relatively few parts; one which is of relatively light weight and cheap u to manufacture; and one in which the jaw action is such as to permit the wrench to be applied to the work to grip the same and be released therefrom without the necessity.

of careful adjustment of the jaw members,

is and likewise one which permits quick grippin or releasing of the work.

ith present da pipe ywrenches itis necessary to adjust the gripping 'aws of the wrench to lit the work verycare ully and accurately, due partly to the'very limited action of the movable jaw relatively to the fixedl jaw. This is, of course, obectionable, since 1t requires time under di cult conditions, and it is often im ible to effect the adjustment without ma ingseveral attempts at it.

Wrenches made in accordance with my invention may be formed of carbon or alloy steels by a forging process. Such steels have sulcient strength to withstand the severest "l" sort of service and are muchlighter than present day cast wrenches which, in order that they may approach the strength of forged wrenches, are necessarily heavier and unwieldy in use. Moreover, these cast 35 wrenches require steel bits or jaws, since teeth of suicient strength and hardness cannot be vmade from cast material.

been made to form the blanks comprising the handle and frame by forging, after which l" the jaw channel has been made by drilling, breaching and milling `the frame. These drilling, breaching and milling operations are very expensive and make the cost of the wrenches prohibitive.

3 Wrenches made in accordance with my invention have a wholly new jaw action not present in an of the known wrenches. This new action o tained permits the application of the wrench jaws to the work without the 5 necessity of a Iineadjustment of themovable Attempts have j aw. member. `Normally, the shank of the movable jaw 'member is held in spaced relation to the bar and bodily a ainst the far side of the channel to insure a re ative positionin of the shank and bar'to maintain the norma predetermined desired angle' between the jaws as will hereinafter be described.. When the jaws are engaged with the work and the initial load applied to the end of the bar or handle, the movable jaw member moves toward the bar-away from the far side of the channel bodily without tilting until the adj usting nut engages the walls of the window. On further application of the load, the nut serves as a pivot for the jaw during its oscillating or tiltin movement, thus permitting the, head of t e movable jaw to tilt forward toward the bar. When4 the-load is released, the tendency of the movable jaw member under the action of the spring, is to move away from the bar and return to its normal position, and the head of the movable jaw member maytilt past its parallel position away from the bar. Thus, it will be seen, that by using my improved double acting spring, the head of the movable jaw member is capable of maximum movement toward and away from the bar. Theaction described permits almost instant gripping and releasing of the work.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following description when taken in connection. with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will be pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at the close of this specification.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of' `my improved wrench with the parts in northe jaws duringpthe gripping and releasing loo of the work.

Figs. 8 and 9 are side elevational views, partly in section, illustrating further, the action of the jaws in gripping work of a larger diameter, without further longitudinal adjustment of the movable jaw member.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary side elevation, illustrating a slightly modified form of spring and assembly. r v

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the spring of Fie'. 10.

Before explaining in detail the present invention, it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited in its application to the de'- tails of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since `the invention is capableof other embodiments and ofbeing practiced or carried out in various ways. Also itis to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of descrip.

tion andfnot ofi-imitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims hereto appended as considered in view-of the prior art and the requirements thereof.

v Referring now particularly toFigs. 1 to 9 inclusive, my improved wrench is shown as a whole at 10, and comprises, preferably, a

forged steelv bar or handle 11 having a fixed jaw 12 and an integral `frame or housing, shown as a whole at 13..

The frame is provided withra longitudinal channel 14, the walls of which arepreferablyparallel and at acertain specified angle to the fixed jaw 12 as will be hereinafter described. j The frame 13 is also provided with a transversewindow or opening l5 which may be wholly or partially enclosed and which intercepts the channel 14'. The window, as

shown, is substantially V-shaped, having I front and rear walls 16 and 16a respectively,

which 'converge toward the bar 11. It will be seen that the lower ends of the wal-ls 16 and 16a become parallel at the points 160 for the purpose of insuringthe freedom of up and down movement of the Vadjusting nut, to be presently described. The bar isalso provided with'a longitudinally extending spring groove 17I which extends throughoutl the length of the frame and is positioned below lthe inner or lower ,wall of the channel. The

y channel 14 being wider than the shank to permit such movement. The shank is also capa ble of longitudinal adjustment with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bar, by means of an adjustingr nut 30 which is internally threaded and adapted to engage the screw threads 29. The adjusting nut 30 is positioned within the window 'or opening 15 and is'preferably round, having smooth or plain surfaces on each side to allow it to move freely in the window, `and is also provided with a peripheral centrally disposed depressed or countersunk knurled band or portion 30a. The purpose of providing the depressed or countersunk knurled band, which is flush With the smooth periphery of the nut, is to provide a smooth surface for engagement with the wall of the window. When the parts are assembled, as shown by Fig. 1, the ears or projections 2O and 21 extend laterally beyond the periphery of the nut 30, and prevent accidental adjustment of the movable jaw member when the wrench is laid on a bench or floor. When the movable jaw member 25 is `oscillated or tilted within the housing relative to the bar or handle, the front walls 16 and their extensions or ears 20, serve as bearings for the smooth front side of the adjusting nut.

n accordance with my invention, it is desirable to maintain the movable jaw member 25 spaced from the inner side of the channel and bodily against the far side thereof, and also to resiliently support the jaw member so that itcan be moved toward or from the bar during the action of the jaws when gripping or 'releasing the work. In order to' accomplish'this, I have provided an improved doule acting spring member best shown in Fig. 3 and indicated as a 'whole by the reference numeral 35. This vspring member is preferably in the form of a leaf, bent to provide a centrally depressed fiat section or portion 36 and upwardly bent portions 37 which are curved outwardly and extended to provide kflaring end portions 38. The tips of the end portions 38 are bent back slightly as shown at 39 'so that when the spring is assembled with the wrench, the end portions 38 will ride freely in the groove 17. As seen by Fig. 1, the s'pring,'when assembledv in accordance with the form of my invention shown in this figure, is positioned between the bar and shank of the movable jaw member, with portions of its outwardly fiared end sections 38' engaging the sc'rew threads 29 on the shank, and with its' extreme ends in engagement with the groove 17. With my improved spring, having its ends 38 engaging the spring groove 17 at all times, the movable jaw member is capable of the desired movements. Then the spring'maintains the shank at the far side of the channel from the spring ask illustrated in Figure y1, the shank is maintained substantially in parallelism with the portion of the bar near the shank and the jaws are thus maintained by the spring because of its reu sistance to tiltingmovement in their redetermined angular relation. This angu ar relationr is determined by the angle at which one of the jaws, in the-present instance the jaw 12,

sure to the wrench. This turning or tilting movement isV limited by the engagement of the nut with the frame, as described.

In assembling the wrench, the spring 35 is slipped into position within the through the groove 17 until'it assumes the position to which it is shown in Fig. 1. The adjusting nut 3,0 is then inserted in the window or opening 15 and the jaw shank 28 inserted in the channel 14 until the inner end thereof engages the nut. By rotating the nut, the shank is drawn'inwardly or downwardly, moving the jaw or bit 27 toward the corresponding jaw or bit 12.

Referring now to Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive, which illustrate the various positions assumed by the parts during use of the Wrench, it will be seen in Fig. 4 that the wrench jaws have been engaged with a pipe 100. The parts are in their normal positions, with the shank of the movable jaw member engaging the outer wall of the frame or housing, the spring serving to maintain the parts in this position. When a load is applied to the end of the bar or handle as shown by the arrow in Fig. 5, the movable jaw member and adjusting nut move downward or inward toward the bar, the spring maintaining the jaw member parallel with the sides of the channel to insure the relative positioning of the shank and bar to maintain the normal predetermined desired angle be tween the jaws as described. Durin this movement of the jaws the lowerv portion of 16 of the window slides across' the front wall 16 until the periphery of the nut engages the lower wall of the window. At the extreme inner position of the shank, it will be seen that the spring is compressed and housed within its groove 17 so that the spring cannot be pinched between the nut and the bar gitudinal axis o of the a rame *13" the face of the nut 30 adjacent the front wall.

against the action of the spring toward the bar,-and out of arallelism with the lonthe bar. During this tilting or oscillating movement of the jaw member the nut which has, as described, one portion of oneface in engagement withthe window wall 16 of one portion of its peripheryv engaging the lowerA wall of the wmdow,serves 'as the pivot. With the parts assuminv` the yposition shown, the front face djusting nut has a full bearing across the entire front wall 16 of the window and its corresponding ears or projections 20, the spring being compressed at its forward portion. It will be noted that the spring is not pinched by the jaw shank or nut and is not subjected to any crushing force,"due to the factthat the spring moves into the spring groove which is below the inner wall of the channel and vbecause the nut seats on the inner wall of the window, which is above the channel inner Wall. In other wordshwhen the movable jaw member and nut are moved toward the bar, the sprin recedes into' its groove or slot and is, there ore, not subjected to anypinching orj'fcrushing actionv bythe shank or nut.

The angularity f the Window walls 16 and 16al with relationrtythe,described arallcll sides of the channel is" such that w en the' movable jawis tilted to its extreme forward or backward position the jaw threads 29 `do not bear upon the walls of the channel at the points A and B, Fig. 6, or C and D, Fig. 7, and, as shown, a vslight clearance may exist at these points. The nut acting against the window wall 16 forms a stop in the full load position and takes the strain 'which' would otherwise be borne by the threads. The threads are thus protected at all times, which is essential, since if they were damaged through contact with other parts of the wrench, accurate adjustment of the mqvable jaw member would be impossible.

During the use of a pipe wrenchlit is necessary that slipping of thewrench .jaws on the pipe wall be avoided and a Securebite obtained. A certa-in amount of crushing force is necessary to effect this grippingaction, but this force should never be suiiicient to permanently injure the pipe or other article being gripped.

With my improved wrench the jaw moves from its parallel position when an additional load is applied and the` pipe is gripped in a forward position with the movable jaw 25 tilted forward, so vthat the nut 3() has a full bearing on the window wall 16,- as shown in Fig. 6. In this position of the jaw the gripping action is adequate f but the crushing force is negligible. If, onfthe other hand, the jaw were tilted from the parallel position to a backward position with lthe pipe con-.

tacting withthe shank of the jaw, sufficient crushingstrain could be 'exerted to permanently injure the pipe. With my invention througha relatively long moment arm, the spring strongly resists backward deflection of the jaw when gripping the pipe.

It is also desirable that a positlve releasing action of thejaw shall occur when the.

load on the bar is reversed so that the'wrench maybe freely ratcheted on the ipe for tak- 4inga new bite. This is accomp ished by the action ofv the spring which is powerful enough to: immediate y assistrmanual force appliedto the bar in a reversedirection, in

view of the lfact that the tendency of the spring is to hold the jaw in the described parallel position with the shank pressing against the outer Wall of the frame.

-lVhen the load is released from the bar 'and the bar movedin theopposite direction to disengage the jaws from the work, the parts may assume the p 1sitions in which they are shown in Fig. i', the movable jaw back into parallelposition and beyond to its maximum open position.

In Figs. 8 and 9, I havevshown two positions of the parts of the wrench during the engagement and gripping action of the jaws with thepipe 200. The pipe 200 is of larger diameter than the pipe 100 of the precedlng figures, and the wrench is applied thereto without changing the adjustment of the movable jawmember longitudinally of the bar. .In Fig. 8, the jaws are shown as just engagmember having been tilted in the opposite dlrection from lts maximum closed position ing the work, and in Fig. 9, the jaws have been forced overthe work until the pipe has been gripped by the jaws, the arrow indicating the movement of the wrench relative to the pipe. Thus, it will be seen, that when the jaws are applied to work having al diameter greater vthan the space between the jaws when in their normal positions (Fig. 8) the movable jaw member 25 is tilted or oscillated out of its normal position, that is, parallel with the sides of the channel, with the nuit serving as a pivot. Inthis tilted position, the nut lies in enga ement with the lower window wall 16a. l ith the parts in this position, the rear or inner end portion of the spring 35 is compressed. lVhen a load is 'applied to the end of the handle, the tendency of the movable jaw member is kto move from its position of Fig. 9 toward the bar, i. e., parallel withthe sides of the channel, during which movement the nut also acts as the pivot. In other words, during the apy plication of the load to the bar, the parts are moved toward the position in which they are shown inFig. 5. On furtherl application of the load, the movable jaw member will tend to tilt, beyond its parallel position and toward a position similar to that shown in Fig. 6, although, due to the larger diameter of the pipe 200, the parts never actually assume the position 1n which they are shown in Fig. 6. In this later position of the parts, the forward or outer end portion of the l sprin is compressed. Upon releasing the load rom the bar and moving the end of the bar outward as shown by the arrow in Fig. 7,

the parts again assume the positions in which to the space between the jaw members, the

initialmovement of the movable jaw member toward the bar is always bodily oruntilted upon the initial application of a load to the bar. Moreover, it will be seen that the adjusting nut serves as a pivot for the movable jaw member during its tilting or oscillating movements. j

In Fig. 10 I have shown a modified form of spring inA which the action of the parts is the same asin the preceding form. In this form, however, the wrench bar 211 is provided with `a longitudinal spring groove 270 and is additionally provided with a spring seat or recess 271, located within the slot and being substantially in the formof a Woodruff key-slot.

lMy improved spring, used in a wrench of this form, is best shown as a whole in Fig.

11 and is indicated by the reference numeral 400. The spring is preferably in the form of a leafbent to. provide a central convex or outwardly curved portion 401 and oppositely` curved outwardly Haring end portions 402. The extreme outer ends of the portions 402 are bent back lslightly at 403 to provide rounded ends. On opposite sides of the concave or curved portion 401, the spring is provided withy spaced pairs of upstanding lugs or projections 404. In assembling the wrench parts (Fig. 10) the spring 400 is slid through the groove 270 until the portion 401 thereof engages and is seated in the recess 271. The adjusting nuty 30 is then inserted in the window 15 and the inner end of the shank 28 is brought intoengagement with the nut, the internal threads' on'y the nut cooperating with the threads 29, so that on rotation of the nut to the ri ht the shank is drawn into and through t elongitudinal channel 14. When so Fig. 5.

' the nut is inplace in the window, it will be seen that the lugs or projections 404 11e on opposite sides of the nut and engage its op-v posite faces, to prevent accidental displace- 5 ment of the spr1ng. In this form, the cen tral portion 401 of the spring is seated in the recess 271, and the end portions 402 engage the screw threads 29 of the shank. In this connection, the purpose of forming the bent back or rounded endsj403 will be ap` parent. By so forming the ends, the threads 29 will slide freely over thespring during its movement by means of. the adjusting nut 30, and also during tilting or oscillation of the movable jaw\ member. The action of the movable jaw member, the adjusting nut and the spring is identical withy the action of thel corresponding parts of the wrench shown in Figs. 1 to 9, mclusive. It will be noted that the spring 400 maintains the shank normally in contact with the outer'wall of the frame or housing so that the normal predetermined desired angle is maintained between the jaws. The spring 400 also provides means for maintaininvr the movable jaw member in this described parallel position during the movement of the jaw member toward the bar when an initial load is applied to the end of the bar, in exactly the manner as illustrated in I claim 2-1 i 1 1. A pipe wrench comprising a bar having ajaw and a frame, said frame having a longitudinal channel therein, a movable jaw having a. shank extending through the channel, said channel being Wider throughout its length than the shank .suiiiciently to permit both bodily and angular movements of the v shank, and a spring normallytendin to hold the shank bodily against the far si e of the channel to 'nsure a relative positioning of the shank and bar to maintain the normal predetermined desired angle between the jaws and yieldable to permit movement of the shank away from said side toward the other side of the channel but tending to prevent any angular shift of the shank'during such movement.

2. A pipewrench comprising a bar having 'a jaw and a frame, sa'd frame having alonhaving a shank extending through the channel, said channel being throughout suicientv ly widerthan the` shank. to permit a bodily movement transversely of the channel with- -out tilting of the shank, a spring serving to hold the shank bodily against the far side of the channel and yieldable to permit bodily movement of the shank away from said far side toward the other side while resisting titlting of the shank, adjusting means on the shank enagageable with the bar during said bodily movement to limit such movement before engagement withthe bar, providln a fulcrum for rocking movement of the shank ing a jaw and a frame rigld wit gitudinal 'channel therein, a movable jaw' in said channel upon completion of said bodily movement, the bar'carrying a portion serving, by enga ement with sai adjusting means durin sai rocking movement, to limit the latter efore the rocking of the shank causes it to bear a einst the bar or frame.

i 3. A pipe wrenc 'comprising a bar having a jaw and a-iframe rigid with the bar and jaw',

said frame having a `longitudinal channel v therein, a movable jaw having a shank extending through the channel, said channel being throughout suliiciently wider than the ing means on the shank engageable with the lbar during said bodily movement to limitV such movement before engagement of the shank with the bar, said means, by its engagement with the bar, providing a fulcrum or rocking movement of the shank in said channel uponcompletion of said bodily movement, the bar carrying a rtion serving, by engagement with said adjusting means during said rocking movement, to limit the latter before rocking of the shank causes it to bear against the bar or frame. i

4. A pipe wrench comprising jaw, said frame having a longitudinal chan'- nel therein, a movable jaw having a shank` extending through the channel, said channel bein throughout sufficiently wider than the shan to permit a bodly'movement transversely of the channel without tilting of the shank, a spring disposed between the shank a bar havthe bar and and bar serving to hold the shank bodily against the far side of the channel and yiel able tov permit bodil movement of the shank away from said si e toward the other side while resisting tilting of the shank, adjusting means on the shank engageable with the -bar during said bodily movement to limit such movement before engagement of the shank with the bar, said means, by its engagement with the bar, providing a fulcrum for rocking movement of the shank in said channel upon completion of said bodily movement, the bar carrying a portion serving, by engagement with said adjustin means during said rocking movement, to limit the latter before vrocking of the shank causes it to bear against the bar or frame,said spring being disposed in a groove and Ahaving portions extending therefrom which are movable into the groove whereby to permit movement of the shank toward the spring without pinching the spring.

5. pipe wrench comprising a bar having a jaw and a frame, said frame having a 1on- 6'. u I p 1,862,002'

' gitudinal channel therein and a window intersectin the channel, a movable jaw having a threa ed shank extending 4through the channel, said channel being throughout sui- 5 ciently Wider than the shank to permit a bodily movement without tilting of the shank transversely of the channel, a spring` disposed between the shank and bar serving to hold the -shank bodily against the Afar side of theehannel and ieldable to rmit bodily movement of the siiank' away rom said far y sideA toward the spring side While resisting tilting of the shank, an adjusting nut on the shank within said window engageable with -thebar during said bodily movement to limit such movement before enga ement of the shank with the bar, said nut y engagement -Withthe bar, providin a fulcrum for rocking movementfo the s ank in said 4channel uponfcompletion of said bodily movement,

.thefnut serving by engagement with Vsaid frame during sald rocking movement to limit the latter before the rocking of the shank causes its threads to bear against the bar or frame.

In testimony whereof IlA ai'x my signature;

y ALPHONSE O. BRUNGARDT. 

